About

Our Staff

All of our teachers are seasoned professionals with hundreds of hours of training and years, often decades, of teaching experience. You can trust that every one of our teachers conducts a safe class, designed to progress you in your practice while enjoying every minute — each in their own beautiful way.

Our Mission
​To support older adults in living vital, soulful lives through yoga, the arts and caring community.

Our Vision
​To keep growing, learning, and nourishing our capacities to live large and love well throughout our lives.

Our Story
I’m so glad I changed my mind. Fifteen years ago, when the then-owner of Mountain Yoga asked if I wanted to take over the studio, I quickly said, “No, thank you!” But the question kept nagging me. What would it feel like to nurture, not lose, our yoga community?

I didn’t know much about running a business, but I did know this: Mountain Yoga was a living, breathing thing. Like a good yogini, it would need to grow, stretch, and adapt to continue serving our Oakland neighborhood of Montclair Village. And that was something I knew about. So I said yes — and I’m so grateful I did.

Since 2010, the world has changed, and so has Mountain Yoga. Studios have closed, needs have shifted, and we’re still here doing the good work. Two moves, four locations, a year-long government audit, and a global pandemic have only strengthened our vitality, stability, and sense of purpose. With classes on Zoom, we now welcome students from around the world. We left our little studio in Montclair and now teach at studios in two central Oakland neighborhoods.  And as our community has matured, we have adapted our mission to center on the interests and needs of older adults — something we’re especially good at.

Over our 20+ years, two things have become increasingly clear: Mountain Yoga is more than a building, and yoga is more than exercise. Mountain Yoga has remained throughout our many incarnations because Mountain Yoga is its community. And that community comes together, not just for fitness, but for connection, reflection, well-being, and a quiet respite from the wild world we are living in. It’s the love and loyalty of our students — for yoga and for one another — that makes Mountain Yoga the special place that it is. A place to do yoga for life. Because feeling good never gets old.
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From the heart,

​Ann Dyer Cervantes | Director

Our love of the arts

You might be wondering why a yoga studio includes the arts in its programming. You may not realize, as few do, that the arts have been part of yoga since its beginning—mandalas, yantras, iconic sculpture, mystical poetry, liturgical theater, devotional chants, ritual music, and sacred dance have all been woven into the tradition.
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Our director, Ann Dyer Cervantes, has also been deeply involved in the arts from her start, with a degree in dance and a long career in music. Ann is passionate about the power of the arts to heal and transform, and she regularly brings renowned writers, dancers, musicians, and artists to share with our community.  Past presenters have included Parvathy Baul, Anna Halprin, Melanie DeMore, John Santos, Wes “Scoop” Nisker, Jai Uttal, Mahea Uchiyama, Tahi Qwaali, Prasant Radhakrishnan and many, many more.

Some past presenters: